Shuttle loading rack



J. HENLE SHUTTLE LOADING RACK Filed Sept. 12, 1951 @n vw. um

sept. 2, 1952 INVENTOR. Jseph j'enZe Patented Sept. 2, :1952

. .UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE sir-turna LOADING RACK ,negerin Meuleman Bergen, N. J.

Applicationseptember 12,13.51,.SerialQNm/Zgzl I -Thejpresentv invention relates-to a .device `for placing shuttles'i-ntoan embroiderymaehine, and, `merel particularly, Ait relates to a "shuttle 'loading rack from which a groupfofshuttleslmaybe simultaneously dropped into theoompartmentedshuttle raiillofan'embroiderymachine Heretofore, lin reloading anlembroidery machine with dilled' shuttles, i-t-lhas been necessary v.to position eachshuttle individually -in "the machine by hand. Since there are lhundreds of shuttles tobefplacedlineach machine, the reloading operation -is a most time consum-ing one. "Because Iopleratorsofembroidery machines are 'generallyspaid on .aastitch Irb'asiaarid becauselthelmachines can be reloaded only while they are lidle, :the reloading `.operation poses a -serious `problem Ito both operatorsandmanagement.

It is an object of thepresent invention .to pro- -.vi.de a shuttle Lloading rack .wherein :iilled` shuttles 'may Vlee ,placed in the 4loading rack while the em- :broidery :machine is 5in operation, :and then ywhen the machine f isxidle A:and ready .Lfor refilling, the loading irackxis :placedroyer the Ashuttle :rail Yand .the shuttles are very .quickly :dropped into `their proper-positions.

YIt is .a `'further `object ,of 'the :present invention 1.tofnrnvsde :a shuttle floazding rack whichiis esimple iin .construction v.easy :to manipulate and quite inexpensive fin cost.

Gne .advantageiof fthe .present invention :is that the productive day of the operatorfis :considerably llengthenedand his income increased, if he is on a stitch basis. r r r u Another advantage -of vvthepresent invention resides in V`the act .that :the `:time during which :the

embroidery machines are idle '.-is considerably freduced so l,that an embroidery mill -is-capable of a larger output.

Q'ther objects and advantages `of the present invention will Ybecome Ymore lapparent as 'it is described in .detail below, with particular `reference =tthe accompanying drawings'w'herein,

Fig. 1 is a broken top view of the shuttle rack embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the movable floor support in one position; and,

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the movable floor support in another position.

44 claims. (c1. er1-fie) .In accordance with the present invention, I

'have provided a shuttle loading rack lcomprising 'abody portionhaving aplurality of .rows of slantinjgop'en-ended compartments, the compartments of each row 'having `a slant equal Abut .Opposite :t0 the `slant of vthe compartments of the .adjacent row, a licor member slidably mounted on1sa'id body dportion and disposed below said :compartments, yand means for urging said lioor'member -Xedly'mountedto each end ofthe shuttle-rack 'II, Ias shown in Fig. 1, to strengthen its structure, Y

Between the wall `I2 Aand `the dividing wall 'I4 and fixed thereto is provided Aa plurality of lparvallel `plates I8 which define a plurality Vof openended chambers I9, In likemannenibetween the wall I3 vand dividing Wall I4 `and fixedthereto is iurthe'r provided a plurality of parallel slats 'ieiining the open-ended chambers 2 I. The plates I'il Vand 2U have a slope or slant which visfgemn- 'ally the same Vas that ofV the slanted compartments (not shown) ofthe shuttle rail `of the embroidery machine. Moreover, th e.compartments or cham- "bers 'r9 and 2l are designed to register 'withihe icorrespondingshuttle rail compartments. "However, the jplates I have a slant which is equal to but opposite to the slant of the plates '29. The

lreason yfor "thiswill be explained later inthe description ofthe operation of the Yloaclir1 g"1a:ckl

Underneath the shuttle loading `rack IiI 'and slidably fastened thereto is provideda metabar 22 :having "upwardly Vextending end handles ,23. 'The bar 22 'is attached tothe dividing wall I'B by means ofthe carriage bolts 24. Each carriagebolt 24 is'received in a vbore 30. Threaded 'toth'e carriage bolt 24 is a round headed nut 25 which reposes in an annular recess 26. The annular recess 26 merges into a smaller annular recess 21 in which is seated a compression spring 28, which encircles the stem of the carriage bolt 24. The annular recess 2'I connects with the b'ore 30. Between the nut 25 and spring 28 is provided a washer 29.

Slots 3|. are provided widthwise of the bar 22 so that the bar may be slid the length of the slots along the heads of the carriage bolts 24 and toward either wall I2 or I3. At the same time the central portion of the bar 22 is slotted widthwise to receive the screw 35 which is screwed to the bottom of the dividing wall I6. The screw 35 acts as a guide for the bar 22 and also prevents the central portion of the bar from bowing outwardly under the weight of the shuttles. Between the screw 35 and each carriage bolt 24 is provided a screw 3l which is screwed to the under-portion of the dividing Wall I5 and the head of which is adapted to rest in a circular detent 38 in the bar 22. Each Ydei-,ent 38 is positioned along the axial line of the bar 22 so that when the bar is in closed position, the heads of the screws 31 will be forced or snapped into the detents 38 by reason of the spring 28 urging the carriage bolt 24 and bar 22 upwardly.

A pair of locking pins 39, attached to the top of the rack II by means of the chain 4D and pin 4I, is adapted for insertion through suitable holes in the body of the rack I I and bar 22 so as to lock the bar against sideward movement.

Extending downwardly from the walls I2 and I3 andbelow the bar 22 are legs or extensions `113 and 44 respectively, which are adapted to engage and t over the outer side surfaces of a standard shuttle rail. The shoulders 45 and 46 engage the top of the shuttle rail so that the entire rack I I can rest on Vthe shuttle rail in a rm manner.

The shuttle rack described above may be made of any suitable material, although wood has been found to be preferable.

In operation the shuttles 42, shown in phantom in Figs. 3 to 5, are placed in the chambers I9 and 2| and are held there by reason of the slidable bar 22 which forms a floor support for the shuttles and prevents their dropping through into the shuttle rail. When all the used shuttles have been removed from the embroidery machine and it is desired to reload the compartments of the shuttle rail, then the shuttle rack I I is placed over the shuttle rail so that one row of the chambers 2i or I9 will be in registry with the compartments of the shuttle rail. rlhe locking pins 39 are then removed and the bar 22 is moved by means of the handles 23 away from the row of chambers in registry with the vshuttle rail cornpartments. As the metal bar is so slid it will no longer support the particular row of Vshuttles and all the shuttles in that row will drop through to the respective compartments of the shuttle rail. The rack is then liftedoff of the shuttle rail and turned around through 180 so that its other row of chambers will be in registry with further unloaded chambers of the shuttle rail. This time the bar is slid in the opposite direction as far as it will go, thereby releasing the remaining shuttles which drop through to the shuttle rail. The shuttle rack II is then completely removed from the shuttle rail and the bar 22 slid back to its central position and locked. The rack is then ready for a reloading with shuttles. l

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes land modications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for containing shuttles comprising a rack having a plurality of rows of sloped openended chambers, a floor member slidably connected to said rack and disposed below said chambers, the chambers of each row having a slope equal but opposite to the slope of the chambers of each adjacent row, and means for urging said member upwardly toward said rack.

2. A rack for containing shuttles having side walls, a wall disposed intermediate said side walls, a row of parallel slanted plates disposed between each side wall and the interinediately disposed wall, said plates and walls defining a plurality of open-ended compartments, the plates in one row having a slant equal but opposite to the slant of the plates in an adjacent row, a slidable plate positioned below said compartments and adapted to support the shuttles, and means for urging the slidable plate toward said rack.

3. A shuttle loading rack comprising a body portion having' a plurality of rows of slanting open-ended compartments, the compartments of each row having a slant equal but opposite to the slant of the compartments of the adjacent row, a oor member slidably mounted on said body portion and disposed below said compartments, and means for urging said floor member upwardly toward said body portion.

4. A shuttle loading rack having a front and a rear wall, a wall positioned intermediate said front and rear walls and parallel thereto, a row of slats disposed between the intermediate wall and the front wall and a row of slats disposed between the intermediate wall and the rear wall, said slats cooperating with said walls to define two rows of equally sloping passages, one row of passages sloping in a direction opposite to the other row of passages, and a member slidably mounted on said rack and below said passages, said slidable member adapted to act as a gate for said passages.

JOSEPH HENLE.

REFERENCE S CITED The `following references are of record in the file of this patent: n

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hudson Oct. 26, 1909 

